Death of a Dream Mumtaz Mahal died in childbirth in 1630 ib the Deccan where she had gone accompanying Shah Jahan as he went to war with Khan Jahanb Lodi. As she lay on her deathbed, it is said that she whispered to him to build for her a monument that would symbolize the beauty of their love. For a week Shah Jahan remained behind closed doors. When he emerged his hair had turned white, his back was bent, his face worn with despair. The entire kingdom was ordered into mourning for two years.

Agra A city of north-central India on the Jumna River southeast of New Delhi. It was a Mogul capital in the 16th and 17th centuries and is the site of the Taj Mahal, built by the emperor Shah Jahan after the death of his favorite wife in 1629. Population, 694,190+.

India A country of southern Asia. India was the site of one of the oldest civilizations in the world, centered in the Indus River valley c. 2500 to 1500 B.C. Parts of India were overrun by the Aryans and later occupied or controlled by various powers, including the Moguls, European states, and local nawabs and rajahs. The British finally assumed authority over "the Jewel in the Crown" in 1857, although Queen Victoria did not assume the title of empress until 1876. In the 20th century increasing unrest led to Britain's withdrawal and independence for the country (1947). New Delhi is the capital and Calcutta the largest city. Population, 685,184,690+.

Updated 04-13-03

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